Jerome Gambit: First Blood

The Jerome Gambit has drawn first blood in the third round of the Chess.com Giuoco Piano thematic tournament. The game is not very exciting, however, and so games have been added in the notes to compensate.

perryawnpusher - AWARDCHESS
Giuoco Piano Thematic, Chess.com, 2017

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qd5+ Kf6

Black's King usually retreats to the 8th rank.

8.Qxc5

Or 8.d4 Bxd4 (8...Bb4+ 9.c3 c6 10.Qg5+ Ke6 11.Qxd8 Nf6 12.Qc7 Bd6 13.Qa5 Kf7 14.e5 Re8 15.O-O Nxe5 16.dxe5 Rxe5 17.Qa4 b5 18.Qd4 Rd5 19.Qe3 Bb7 20.Nd2 c5 21.Nf3 Ng4 22.Qe1 Re8 23.Be3 Rh5 24.h3 Ne5 25.Nxe5+ Rexe5 26.Rd1 Bc7 27.Rxd7+ Re7 28.Rxe7+ Kxe7 29.Bxc5+ Kd7 30.Qe7+ Kc8 31.Qe8+ Bd8 32.Qxh5 Ba6 33.Rd1 Bc7 34.Qe8+ Kb7 35.b4 g5 36.Rd7 h5 37.Qf7 Kc8 38.Rxc7+ Kb8 39.Bxa7+ Ka8 40.Qe8+ Bc8 41.Qxc8 checkmate, perrypawnpusher - whitepandora, FICS, 2008; 8...h6 9.Qxc5 N8e7 10.e5+ Kf7 11.Qc4+ Kf8 12.O-O b6 13.f4 a5 14.f5 Ba6 15.fxg6+ Ke8 16.Qf7 checkmate, perrypawnpusher - tjaksi, FICS, 2013; 8...d6 9.Bg5 checkmate, mrjoker - Taj, Internet Chess Club, 2009) 9.Qg5+ Ke6 10.Qxd8 N8e7 11.Qxc7 Ne5 12.Qa5 b6 13.Qd2 Bc5 14.Nc3 Ba6 15.Nd5 Rac8 16.Nxe7 Kxe7 17.Qg5+ Ke6 18.Qf5+ Kd6 19.Bf4 Rce8 20.O-O-O+ Kc6 21.Bxe5 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - alvarzr, FICS, 2014

8...d6

Not 8...Qe7 9.Qf5 checkmate, perrypawnpusher - zsilber, FICS, 2010.

9.Qe3

Or 9.Qc3+ Ne5 10.f4 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest4240618, PlayChess.com, 2015.

9...Nh6

The Knight can go elsewhere:

9...Ne5 10.d4 Ng4 (10...Nc4 11.Qg5+ Kf7 12.Qxd8 b5 13.Qxc7+ Ne7 14.a4 b4 15.Qxc4+ d5 16.exd5 Nxd5 17.Qxd5+ Be6 18.Qf3+ Ke7 19.Bg5+ Kd6 20.Nd2 Rhe8 21.Ne4+ Kd7 22.Nc5+ Kd6 23.Qf4+ Kc6 24.O-O-O Bd5 25.Na6 Kb6 26.Qd6+ Bc6 27.Nxb4 Rac8 28.d5 Red8 29.Bxd8+ Rxd8 30.Qxd8+ Kc5 31.Nxc6 a5 32.Qxa5+ Kc4 33.Qb4 checkmate, MrJoker - ipon, Internet Chess Club, 2011) 11.Qg5+ Kf7 12.Qxd8 Black resigned MrJoker - vicwill, Internet Chess Club, 2011;

9...N8e7 10.d4 Kf7 (10...c5 11.dxc5 Qa5+ 12.Nc3 Qxc5 13.Qf3+ Ke6 14.O-O Ne5 15.Qh3+ Kf7 16.Qh5+ N7g6 17.Be3 Qb4 18.f4 Nc4 19.f5 Nxe3 20.fxg6+ Kg8 21.gxh7+ Rxh7 22.Qe8 checkmate, perrypawnpusher - useche, FICS, 2010) 11.O-O Rf8 12.f4 Kg8 13.f5 Nh8 14.Nc3 c6 15.Qg3 d5 16.f6 Neg6 17.fxg7 Kxg7 18.Be3 Rxf1+ 19.Rxf1 Nf7 20.Qf3 Ng5 21.Bxg5 Qxg5 22.Qf7+ Kh6 23.exd5 cxd5 24.Nxd5 Bg4 25.Nf4 Rf8 26.Qxb7 Rxf4 27.Qxa7 Rxf1+ 28.Kxf1 Qf4+ White resigned, perrypawnpusher - wbrandl, FICS, 2011.

10.f4 Re8 11.O-O Qe7 12.Nc3 Bd7 13.Nd5+ Black resigned

Ouch. This kind of thing can happen, even in a slow game. Maybe the real world intruded. Maybe White's opening looked too innocuous to worry about in the early stages.

Jerome Gambit: A Few More Early Looks...

After the previous post's glance into the past of this blog, it is hard not to recommend a few more early looks:

"Retro"
"Questions, We Have Questions... And An Occasional Answer"

And, what about coverage of the Jerome Gambit in a fantastic international chess magazine? Ah, there is a saga:

"Delusions of Grandeur" 

Finally:

"The Jerome Gambit Treatment - Unbelieveable!"

Take a break from deep analysis by Stockfish 8 and check out a little related chess history - and more.

Alonzo Wheeler Jerome and Winston Churchill

Ah, yes, years ago I began to explore the possible link between Alonzo Wheeler Jerome, inventor of the Jerome Gambit, and the British statesman, Winston Churchill...

Perhaps it is time to pick up that thread again.

In the meantime, here is an interesting chronology of discovery, with a lot more than just tracing family lines -

"From the Email Bag"
"Jerome Gambit Blog: More Tidying Up"
"Jerome Gambit Blog: Still More Tidying Up"
"Nostalgia"
"Merry Christmas! (A Hysterical/Historical Jerome Gambit Part 1)"

Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit: Black Runs Out of Energy

In the following game Black is vigorous in his response to White's gambit. However, he seems to run out of energy at the end. Is being down 5 pawns for a piece reason enough to resign? In this case, perhaps not: Stockfish 8 evaluates the final position as even.

Wall, Bill - NN
lichess.org, 2016

 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4. Bxf7+

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6 hxg6 8.Qxg6+

8.Qxh8 is a mistake, but I once managed to win with it anyhow, perrypawnpusher - tampajake, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 12).

8...Ke7 9.Qg5+ Nf6

Better than 9...Ke8 in perrypawnpusher - adamzzzz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 39).

10.Qc5+

Better than 10.e5 in perrypawnpusher - JokeritT, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 28).

10...Kf7

I faced 10...d6 in a number of games; perrypawnpusher - foreverblackman, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 21); perrypawnpusher - vlas, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 23); perrypawnpusher - theferno, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 28); perrypawnpusher - Raankh, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 49); and perrypawnpusher - michon, FICS, 2015 (1-0, 36). Bill, too: Wall,B - Guest5170841, PlayChess.com 2015 (1-0, 15 ).

11.Qxd4 Qe8 12.Nc3 c5 13.Qe3 Qe5 14.h3 Bh6 15.Qf3 Qf4 16.Qe2 d6

Black is fighting back vigorously, despite his slightly exposed King. Still, I am always suspicious of ...c5 in these kinds of positions, as it can allow further opening of the game.

17.d4 Qh4 18.Bxh6 Qxh6 19.dxc5 dxc5 20.e5 Nh5 

Here Stockfish 8 recommends 21.g4!? which is not the kind of move that I can see Bill choosing, as it seems to give even more exposure to his King. Yet the followup is ironic enough for him to appreciate: 21...Nf4 22.Qf3 Kg7 23.0-0-0 (made possible by the Knight's block of the Queen's diagonal) Ne2+ 24.Kb1 Nxc3 25.Qxc3 Be6 with an advantage to White after he captures the c-pawn.

21.Qc4+ Be6 22.Qxc5 Black resigned

Interesting. Compared to Stockfish 8's analysis above, the Knights are still on the board, which would slightly favor White's better piece. However, White's King is not castled, which could be quite risky. 22...Rhd8 would seem to guard well against White's possible Queen check at c7.

In a human vs human game, however, in the long run I would take the extra pawns over the extra piece. It would appear that Black agreed. 

Jerome Gambit: This Just Doesn't Seem to Be Her Day

In the Jerome Gambit Black's King is often the center of attention - being attacked. However, in the following game Black is able to place his King in a secure location; it is the Queen, instead, that faces all of the danger.

Wall, Bill - Banken
lichess.org, 2016

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 

6...Bb4+ 7.c3 Bxc3+ 8.bxc3 Ng6 9.O-O 

The immediate 9.e5 was seen in Wall,B - PassCapture, lichess.org, 2016 (1-0, 22).

Which will prevail, the pawns or the piece?

9...Nf6 10.e5 Ne8 11.f4 Rf8 12.f5 Nh4 

The "Knight on the rim" is beginning to look rather "dim".

13.Qh5+ Kg8 14.Bg5 Rxf5 15.Rxf5 Nf6 

To save the Queen.

16.exf6 Qf8 17.f7+ Kh8 18.Qxh4 d6 19.Be7 Black resigned

Wow. Not one of her better days.

Non-Bxf7 Jerome Bukayev Gambit (for blitz)

Here is another creative idea from the inventive Yury Bukayev, as mentioned in a recent email. (I have added a diagram.)

What do readers think? 

Dear Rick, 
Here is my new gambit. It is very risky, like the Jerome Gambit. It is a non-Bxf7 relative of the JG. Here it is.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nge7 4.0-0 Nd4 5.Nxe5? Nxb5 6.Nxf7! Kxf7 7.Qh5+ with the idea Qxb5.

I suggest to play it to everyone who likes the Jerome Gambit. Its name will be "non-Bxf7 Jerome Bukayev Gambit (for blitz)".
Best wishes!Yury V. Bukayev

Jerome Gambit: Schooled

I have not had the time to play much chess on the internet these days, but I still try to get in a Jerome Gambit or two at Chess.com, where I can play at 2 or 3 days per move. The following is the most recent to finish.

perrypawnpusher - 4xel
Chess.com, 2017

My opponent in the following game challenged me to a Jerome Gambit, wondering what new tricks I had in store. It turns out that I was not the one who brought new ideas to the board. I was fortunate to find a drawing line.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4

I think that this is the first and only time that I have played this move, as opposed to over 280 games with 6.Qh5+. Bill Wall has had a lot of success with the line. On the other hand, Bill has had a lot of success with all Jerome Gambit lines.

6...Qh4

Uh-oh. This is what I have called the Pie-in-the-Face Variation. It is at least as old as Sorensen - X, Denmark, 1888 (see below). It is probably Black's strongest response.

Figures. At one point in the game my opponent took some "vacation" time away from the board to complete exams. Just my luck to be playing a hard-working student.

7.O-O Qxe4

The alternative, 7...Ng4, was seen in a number of games, including: 8.h3 Bb6 (8...Bd6 9.e5 Bxe5 10.dxe5 Nxe5 11.Qd5+ Kf6 12.f4 Ng6 13.Nc3 d6 14.Be3 Ke7 15.Rae1 Kd8 16.Nb5 Nf6 17.Qc4 Ne8 18.Bf2 Qf6 19.Bd4 Qh4 20.Rxe8+ Kxe8 21.Nxc7+ Kf8 22.f5 Ne5 23.f6 gxf6 24.Qd5 Kg7 25.Qxd6 Rg8 26.Rxf6 Qxf6 27.Bxe5 and won, Sorensen,S - X, Denmark, 1888) 9.hxg4 (9.Qf3+ N4f6 10.e5 Bxd4 11.exf6 Nxf6 12.c3 Bb6 13.Nd2 Rf8 14.Ne4 Qxe4 15.Qd1 d5 16.Re1 Qf5 17.Be3 Bxe3 18.Rxe3 Bd7 19.Rf3 Qe5 20.Qd2 Rae8 21.Re3 Qd6 22.Rxe8 Rxe8 23.b3 Qe5 24.Rf1 Bc6 25.Kh1 Qe2 26.Qc1 d4 27.cxd4 Qe4 28.d5 Qxd5 29.f3 Kg8 30.Rd1 Qe6 31.Qf4 Nd5 32.Qd4 Ne3 33.Rc1 Bxf3 34.Kg1 Nxg2 35.Rxc7 Qe3+ 36.Qxe3 Nxe3 37.Kf2 Bc6 38.b4 Nd5 White resigned, Sir Osis of the Liver - perrypawnpusher, JG3 thematic, ChessWorld.net 2008) 9...d6 10.f3 Be6 11.Be3 Bc4 12.Re1 Ne7 13.f4 Rhe8 14.Nd2 Ba6 15.Nf3 Qg3 16.a4 Ba5 17.c3 Kf8 18.b4 Ng6 19.f5 Nf4 20.Bxf4 Qxf4 21.Qc2 c5 22.bxa5 Qxg4 23.Rad1 cxd4 24.Rxd4 Qg3 25.Qb3 Qf4 26.Qb1 Qg3 27.e5 g6 28.Rxd6 Re7 29.f6 Ree8 30.Qb4 Bb5 31.Rd8+ Kf7 32.e6+ Kxf6 33.Qd4+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Rajiv, Chess.com, 2010.

8.dxc5 Nf6 9.Nc3 Qc6

The placement of Black's Queen looks okay, although it has gone elsewhere: 9...Qc4 10.Be3 Re8 11.Bd4 d6 12.b3 Qa6 13.cxd6 Qxd6 14.Nb5 Qc6 15.Nxa7 Rxa7 16.Bxa7 b6 17.Qd4 Ba6 18.c4 Nf3+ 19.gxf3 Qxf3 20.Qd1 Re2 21.Qd8 Qg4+ 22.Kh1 Bb7+ White resigned, Wall,B - Guest6296711, PlayChess.com 2014

10.Bg5 

I figured there was no sense worrying about the pawn at c5, and went right ahead with development.

Two Bill Wall games:

10.Re1 d6 11.cxd6 Qxd6 12.Bf4 Nf3+ 13.Qxf3 Qb6 14.Nd5 Nxd5 15.Bxc7+ Qf6 16.Qxd5+ Be6 17.Qxb7 Rhe8 18.Bd8+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Gorodetsky,D, Chess.com, 2010.

10.Qd4 Ng6 11.f3 Re8 12.Be3 b6 13.b4 bxc5 14.bxc5 Nf8 15.a4 Ne6 16.Qc4 d6 17.Rfd1 dxc5 18.Bg5 Black forfeited by disconnection, Wall,B - felineMMXI, blitz. FICS, 2011.

10...b5

Wow. This is a novelty, and a good one. My "safer" castled King is about to experience some heat.

11.Bxf6 Bb7

Of course. Makes you wonder who is the Jerome Gambit "expert".

12.Qh5+

Wishing I had played this 6 moves earlier.

12...Kxf6 13.f3 Qxc5+ 14.Kh1 g6 15.Qh3 Bc6  

I reminded myself that I had seen better Jerome Gambit players get out of worse positions than this. I told myself to develop and keep my eyes wide open.

16.Rae1 Rae8 17.Ne4+ 

If we were playing blitz, I would have tried 17.Re4. I wasn't happy giving up the Knight, but I needed the tempo and the enemy Bishop had been a pain.

17...Bxe4 18.Rxe4 Re7 

Black only has to swap off the heavy pieces and his Knight will then guarantee victory.

Still, this move whispered to me "possible swindle" so I kept my hopes up.

19.Rfe1 Rhe8 20.Qg3 Qxc2 21.f4 Nc6

And here we go.

22.Qh4+ g5

It's no use. Instead, 22...Kf7 is met by 23.Qxh7+ and 22...Kg7 is met by 23.Rxe7+ Rxe7 24.Rxe7+ Nxe7 25.Qxe7+, in both cases leading to a draw by repetition.

23.Qxg5+ Kf7 24.Qf5+ Kg8 25.Qg5+ Kh8 26.Qf6+ Kg8 27.Qg5+ Kf8 28.Qf6+ Kg8 29.Qg5+ Drawn

veni vidi amavi vale